About 20 years ago, just before Christmas, I bought a large round box of Belgian Chocolates from Thornton's (a reasonably up-market UK Chocolate shop).
I was asked if I'd like it wrapped. Of course I replied 'yes please'.
Wrapping a round box isn't easy, so you can imagine my admiration as I watched the young lady making fold after fold as she worked her way around the box; leaving perfectly spaced gaps between each fold, and finishing with a Chrysanthemum pattern on the top.
I remarked to her how impressed I was with her skill, and she seemed genuinely flattered. As I left the shop I wondered if anyone else had admired her skill, and had said the same as me. Maybe not.
Here is a young Japanese girl showing similar, but much simpler, skills.
33 comments:
It's always good to see people that can do a proper job.
Nice to find you promoting a company that was formed in Sheffield in 1911 by Joseph William Thornton.
Exactly; I love to see expertise, anywhere.
Good for Joe; great Chocs!
Presentation is important.
In Japan, ceramics are often sold with their own wooden box
When I was in the Antiques business, I often had Chinese ceramics that came in special silk-lined boxes. They seemed to treasure their craftsmen more than we do.
Very impressive wrapping even though it is just a rectangular box. I am not a good wrapper, even though I try hard.
Me too. I do my best, but the messy bits usually get covered over with a card or a fancy bow.
I used to work for a Japanese company and ever since have admired the Japanese way of wrapping things. Sadly, I've never had the patience to learn it myself.
My package wrapping skills are woeful.
I must watch more YouTube videos.
Impressive! I have got to wrap 3 large books for a birthday, but I think I will stick with my own tried and tested method.
I always wrap in a rectangular fashion, I notice that the Japanese tend to wrap at an angle. Maybe I should try their way.
Mine are OK, but nothing like the girl above.
It's coming up to 'wrapping season', so we all need to practice our skills.
My packaging skills are not good so mostly I use bags which can be opened and passed on. With a large family with birthdays, name days, xmas and easter there are always plenty of bags going around.
The tragedy of wrapping anything, artful or otherwise, that the recipient of a present rarely pays any attention to the love and care, nay, downright contortions the giver has put themselves through. Ripped off in seconds!
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Nice bags are always a good idea, and as you say, they'll be safely guarded and passed on.
Even though I say it myself, I’m quite good at wrapping presents but not as good as that girl. I have seen quite a few people wrapping online and might have a go at some of the more intricate wrapping. My husband is rubbish at wrapping …. I usually get something rolled and tied at each end like a cracker with loads of sellotape wound round the ends !!!!!! XXXX
In which case I must be the exception. I always admire well wrapped presents. I often enjoy the packaging as much as the gift inside.
My wife always asks me to wrap things for her!!!
I used to go to a particular fish and chip shop (in the newspaper wrapping days) because the woman who was surely the fastest fish and chip wrapper-upper in the world worked there. She was unbelieveable.
For a while they had 'pretend' newspaper, I wonder if they still do? I very nearly bought Fish-n-Chips last night, but decided to make my own.
Nothing beats a really good fish and chip shop - anything less than the very best and home made are better I think. Lovely wrapping - the Japenese are so good at it.
We've been meaning to treat ourselves to fish-n-Chips on The Pier since our return. We'll go one day soon.
A beautifully wrapped gift makes a perfect presentation. My recent baby gift bought at Fritz & Gigi, Concord, MA was wrapped nicely; tissue paper inside and silk ribbon to enclose everything. Elizabeth was teary eyed with pleasure with the wrapping, gift inside and the card. It made my day!
It makes such a difference. A poorly wrapped gift shows a lack of sincerity.
The last time I was in Japan I always had my packages wrapped, even if they were for me. Then when home I unwrapped then very carefully so I could learn and enjoy the memory.
Lovely post today.
I had to buy a small bag from the Louis Vuitton shop in Rome ( a request from my son for his wife ) it was placed in a beautiful silk dust bag then wrapped in more silk fabric before being placed in a flock lined box then put in a beautiful stiff fabric bag tied with a silk ribbon then placed in a paper carrier bag tied with a silk ribbon, it was a joy to behold, it almost made up for the extortionate price of the bag.
That's pretty fancy packaging! I wouldn't have thought a square or rectangular box would get such nice treatment. Nothing at all like the 40 pound blocks of cheese I used to wrap daily when working in a cheese making/milk bottling factory.
I've not visited Japan, but I do have a lot of admiration for their culture; ancient and modern.
As I read your comment I was thinking 'that sounds expensive', but I suppose everything at Vuitton's is expensive.
I'd prefer the cheese to the chocs; however they were packaged!
Masters of paper they are.
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